Pinot Gris...how I love you.

Mmmmm. Crisp. Clean. Stony. Food friendly. Refreshing.

My top five descriptors of Pinot Gris...which more and more, I am drawn to for warm weather drinking. And Oregon pinot gris--fruit flavors, but without the bedazzled fruit of Italian pinot grigio--is among the best, in my humble opinion.

We brought a few bottles to Gif and Monica's for dinner, including the A to Z Pinot Gris (I had heard good things from Wine Spectator and Food and Wine, and it seemed a good user-friendly choice for a crowd). Below is the promotional description:

Rich and ripe. The color of the 2006 Pinot Gris is yellow gold with beautiful flashes of emerald. Powerful aromatics are redolent of ripe citrus fruits, acacia flowers, tropical fruits (mango, papaya and kiwi), lychee, powdered sugar, honeysuckle, nectarines and pineapple. A concentrated wine with ripe acidity. The finish rolls seamlessly off the mid-palate and lasts forever. The lasting impression is a wine of great ripeness and opulence balanced by wonderful juiciness and succulence. The 2006 Pinot Gris will drink wonderfully for the next two years.

My take: easy drinking pleasure. Balanced fruit flavors that cry for a piece of grilled seafood.